Second Impressions
by Dramione Forever
Summary: She had made her mind up about him after that first impression all those years ago in the shop, but his attitude and appearance tonight had challenged that.


**Second Impressions**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter characters they belong to JK Rowling.**

She stared at him from across the room; he looked the same but he was different. Taking another sip of her champagne, she studied him further. His attitude had changed, he was no longer the arrogant little boy that she once knew. He had changed. The party was in full swing and it seemed like everyone was having a good time. Everyone but her. Her mother threw these parties every so often and she invited all of the purebloods that she knew. Her mother was determined to get good matches for her daughters.

These parties bored her, she hated them and she had been bored at every one of them. Tonight was different however, _he_ had come tonight. She had not noticed him at first but now that she had, everything changed. She saw that instantly a crowd surrounded him, as always was the case with him. Wherever he went, a crowd gathered around to listen to him talk. Most of the crowd consisted of young women hanging on to his every word. Rolling her eyes at the sight, she looked around the group of women.

Pansy Parkinson was standing next to him as she always used to do. She hated her as she acted so clingy and needy towards him. It disgusted her. Turning her attention away from the women, she stared at him. His blonde hair had been slicked back and he looked devilishly handsome in his black dress robes. The music struck up and the occupants of the room went in search of partners to dance with. She saw her father lead her mother onto the dance floor and shortly after her older sister joined them on the arm of a handsome young man.

Astoria looked back at the group and saw with some satisfaction that the majority of women were getting dragged to the dance floor by their neglected husbands, partners or dates. They had obviously decided that they had spent enough time on the sidelines. One of the women who was currently getting dragged to the dance floor was Pansy Parkinson, who was getting dragged rather loudly by her date for the evening Theodore Nott.

She bit her tongue to keep herself from laughing at the scene. Looking over at Draco Malfoy she saw him striking up the conversation again with the remaining women left in the group. He seemed like he had extremely changed to her, he was charming, relaxed and approachable. Not at all like she remembered him. She remembered him as spoiled, arrogant and a bully.

One scene that she remembered clearly was a day in diagon alley. It was the first time she had seen him. She heard him demand to a shop assistant that he hurry up and wrap his package quicker or he refused to pay the full amount for the item. His father had agreed with Draco and he snapped at the man as well. Astoria had turned away from the scene in disgust. He had been such a spoiled and arrogant boy when he was younger.

Snapping out of her recollection, her attention was caught once more by him as she watched him excuse himself politely from the group of women. Then she saw him head over to the champagne table to get himself another drink. She looked down at her long green dress, smoothing it out. Taking her compact mirror from out from her purse, she checked her makeup and hair. Astoria had no idea why she was going to all this effort for him. All she knew was that he intrigued her greatly.

Astoria knew that he would not remember her, no one did. They all remembered her sister Daphne but never her. Regardless she found herself walking over to him, before she had fully realised that she was doing it. She had made up her mind about him after that first impression all those years ago in the shop, but his attitude and appearance tonight had challenged that. She wanted to find out for herself, first-hand, if he really had changed.

He had just picked up a glass of champagne and was now gazing at the couples on the dance floor when she approached him. He had not see her coming at first and she saw the surprise on his face when he realised that she was approaching him. She stopped in front of him and stood just a few feet away from him. Draco looked her over quickly then he stared back into her eyes, a question clearly reflected in his .

Astoria had blushed slightly when he had looked her over but then she had felt the intensity of his gaze and lifted her eyes back up to his, staring into them. Neither of them said a word and they just stared at each other. Astoria looked away a few minutes before walking over to him, closing the gap between them. She put out her hand in way of a friendly gesture to him.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," she said politely.

"You probably don't recognise me but I am Astoria Greengrass, Daphne's younger sister," she continued. After this statement Draco smiled at her and cleared his throat.

"Good evening, Astoria. I remember you perfectly well, and please, call me Draco," he said in reply, his eyes twinkling slightly.

She stared at him struggling, to figure out if this was all some sort of an act but the butterflies fluttering in her stomach as he stared at her were very real. She knew that she should do or say something to fill the void of silence that had stretched between the two of them, so she smiled at him slightly.

"Would you like a glass of champagne," he asked her, indicating to the champagne table behind him. She stared at him, startled and at a loss for words at this surprising display of politeness. Clearing her throat, she shook her head.

"No thank you, Draco," she said softly, finding her voice again. He inclined his head to her.

"You look beautiful this evening," he said complimenting her. Astoria blushed. After a minute she cleared her throat. " You look quite dashing yourself Draco," she replied, her face still a tinge red from his compliment. They spoke for a few minutes more, discussing everything from Hogwarts to business. She inquired after his mother and he in turn inquired after her family. Not once in their whole conversation had he been anything but pleasant, charming and kind toward her. He had even complimented her. He was nothing like the spoilt boy that she had seen throwing a temper tantrum in that shop all those years ago and he was very different from his Hogwarts days as well.

A few minutes later, the music in the room changed from fast to slow. Draco set his champagne glass down on the table behind him and he turned back to her.

"Would you care to dance, Astoria?" he asked her offering her his arm. She stared at him for a minute then she stared at his arm. Astoria thought over his offer, he had been nothing but charming and polite to her all evening. He had definitely changed she decided, he was no longer the boy that he once was.

She shook her head to stop herself thinking too much then she smiled at him and took his arm. "I would love to dance with you, Draco," she replied. He led her to the dance floor, she did not fail to notice the glares that she was receiving from all the young women in the room as she walked past them on his arm. Pansy Parkinson was staring at her like she wanted to do nothing better than lift her wand and mutter the killing curse.

Astoria grinned smugly as she stepped onto the dance floor, well aware that all the young women in the room including her sister envied her at this moment. Draco pulled her into his arms as the dance started. He pulled her into his arms so suddenly that she caught her breath. Perhaps first impressions weren't always accurate. It probably was better to get a second impression before you judged someone she thought to herself silently as they glided across the floor.

**Author note: I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading this piece. I would like to thank StarShinobi for betaing this for me. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.**


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